


Thrilled

by legendofthesevenstars



Series: FE3H Femslash Ultra Rarepairs [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles/Golden Deer Joint Route, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), past Judith/Tiana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25175209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legendofthesevenstars/pseuds/legendofthesevenstars
Summary: While looking for another single woman her age around Garreg Mach, Judith meets a stunner by the name of Manuela, who turns out to be a drunken hot mess. The next day, she's shocked to find out that the same woman is aprofessor. A capable, responsible, passionate professor.She longs to find out more about the gorgeous woman to whom there's much, much more than meets the eye.
Relationships: Manuela Casagranda/Judith von Daphnel
Series: FE3H Femslash Ultra Rarepairs [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907821
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Thrilled

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on an extra prompt idea I had for the [Ultra Rarepair Big Bang](https://twitter.com/ultrararepairb1), which is taking place in early September. I'm posting this piece a little early.  
> I have another extra prompt idea that'll be posted soon as well, and my final piece will be posted in September when it's time for the event. I'll likely make a series out of the three pieces once I've posted the final one, so look forward to that!
> 
> P.S.: There are two extra little rarepairs. One is M/M and one is F/F - can you spot them? ;-)

Waging war was mostly about the papers and letters. Though the Professor, Claude, and Edelgard took care of most of that, Judith still found herself sighing over the third draft of the letter the three had composed together to send to Count Gloucester, asking for aid against the Kingdom. Just a few weeks ago, she’d been standing against the Empire, and now, all of the Alliance had united against the Kingdom. Claude wasn’t really one to change his mind overnight, but Edelgard’s argument probably sounded pretty compelling to the kid who had always squirmed in his seat and rolled his eyes during the few church services to which she’d taken him. Ideals aside, being the designated proofreader was beginning to strain her eyes. Was she going to have to get reading glasses? Was she already that old?

Right now, what she really needed was a drink.

Gathering the drafts into a neat stack, she shuffled them and lay them flat on the desk, then stood up, pushing in her chair. She walked over to her closet, shuffling through until she found something with a few more ruffles on it than the plain shirt she currently wore. Sleeveless, with a few buttons left open on the off chance someone might look her way. She wasn’t sure that there were too many other women in their forties around the monastery, though it wasn’t as if she’d had the chance to run into any in the Alliance, either. Oh, well, what could trying hurt? She shut the door to her quarters behind her and started toward the tavern just outside the monastery marketplace.

When it came to love, she liked to believe she wasn’t a completely lost cause. Sure, she’d spent the past twenty years still trying to patch the hole that her first love had left, but she’d never married for a reason. Even when she was ten, fifteen years younger, meeting a woman she was interested in _and_ who returned her interest was near impossible. There had been some women in her ranks who were definitely like her, and who saw her as an equal and perhaps something more, but she refused to date her soldiers. Looking for another single woman her age now was like peering through cracks in the dark to try and unearth any small bit of light. It wasn’t that there weren’t women catching her eye, just that most of those women were married, making eyes at men, or complaining about how they couldn’t get men. There were also women who chose to be single, some in service of the church and some who just weren’t interested in dating at all. She had chosen to be single for a while, and she was used to it now, but she wasn’t completely apathetic. Lots of women caught her eye, but she hadn’t met anyone who could be her _partner_.

The double doors swung open as she walked into the tavern, making her way to the bar. People were milling around tables, workers with dirty, sweaty faces, soldiers with helmet hair, even some of the Knights of Seiros. She recognized Catherine and her partner Shamir, sitting at a table near the bar with tankards set in front of them. Catherine was chatting, animated and red-faced, while Shamir’s white skin was only barely flushed pink. Judith flashed Shamir a smirk, sat down on one of the barstools, and turned to the barmaid and asked for a tankard.

The lager was smooth and light, sliding down her throat with only a trace of bitterness. Usually, she nursed her drink, but she found herself eager to put another one away, so she chugged instead, then ordered a second tankard. After a generous sip, she folded her hands on the bar and looked around the room. Friends were laughing, slapping each other on the shoulder and back, snorting and shrieking. Couples held hands across the table, grasped waists, or, in the case of two particularly inebriated couples, made out with each other, hands on each other’s faces or perhaps lower. She rolled her eyes, turning her head back toward the bar just as an older-looking woman sat down two seats away from her.

Her light brown hair was smoothed back from her pale face, which was coated in heavy makeup. She wore an off-the-shoulder red dress with lightly puffed sleeves and a low neckline, and a necklace with a few stones missing around her neck. The dress had one slit up to her thigh, and when she placed her heeled foot on one of the rungs of the barstool, the skirt fell back to reveal three silver daggers strapped to her thickly muscled calf. Judith’s breath hitched, and her spine tingled. The woman was stunningly beautiful, and her dress fit her perfectly, but the daggers were the icing on the cake.

Judith continued to stare, watching the woman order a glass of whiskey and tip her head back as the liquid warmth slid past her lips. Once she’d set it down, she turned her head to the left and caught Judith’s eye. Judith smirked and winked. Much to her surprise, the woman winked right back at her, with an equally flirty smirk. She pointed to the stool next to the woman and raised her eyebrows. The woman patted the stool, and Judith grabbed her tankard, getting up from her seat and sitting down next to her.

“What brings a pretty lady like you here, hon?” Judith said, setting her elbow on the table and leaning slightly toward the woman.

“Oh, you flatter me, dear. I’m not nearly as much of a sight as I used to be.”

Seduction dripped from every note of her voice. This was a woman who was just as versed in the pretense of flirting as she was. Judith was more than willing, and thrilled, to play the game again.

“You’re already brighter than the sun right now. I think I’d go blind if you used to be as gorgeous as you claim.”

“Oh, my. You’re not so bad yourself, with those strong, muscular arms of yours. Not that I need carried, because I feel myself getting carried away just looking at you.”

“You’re a natural at this. What’s your name, hon?”

“Manuela,” the woman crooned. “And you’re Lady Judith von Daphnel, aren’t you? So glad to have you on our side for the war effort.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Lady Manuela.”

“Oh, there’s no need for ‘Lady.’ I’m not even a noblewoman.”

“You had me fooled. Everything about you is sophisticated. You’re a damn classy broad.”

“Thank you. Though it’s not as if I can’t let loose now and then,” she said with another wink as she lifted her glass to her mouth. Judith allowed her eyes to stray to Manuela’s chest, soft and ample, spilling out over the top of her dress, and followed the length of her arms to her delicate fingers, nails short and painted, though not without a few chips.

“Nothing wrong with a little drink now and then,” Judith said, lifting her tankard to her lips.

“Damn right,” Manuela said, and Judith laughed, feeling it bubbling inside her. She continued observing Manuela as she took another sip, then another, of her whiskey. Here was a woman who might understand the way she acted, who wasn’t sticking her pinky out and scolding her for sitting with her legs spread. Here was a woman who _might_ just think on her wavelength. Judith knew nothing about her other than her name, but she already felt comfortable around her. No need to put on airs. Not as if she cared about doing that anyway.

Then Manuela set her glass down, and she said, “If only _any_ man thought that way.”

Judith frowned. Now that was a warning sign if she ever saw one.

“Who cares what men have to think about a lady having a drink? If she wants a drink, let her have it. If he doesn’t, then he never mattered in the first place. I’d rather have the drink than the man.”

“Oh, I don’t mean to complain.” Manuela frowned. “It’s just that, well, I suppose some men think it’s unappealing when I belch, but I just can’t help myself with some drinks. Besides, I excuse myself, and they don’t.” She furrowed her brow. “The nerve of some men! I may not always be able to keep it together, but at least I try to tie a string on it.”

Warning sign number two. Not that Judith cared if a woman belched. Hell, so did she, if she got drunk enough. But a woman who was a mess, even if she were self-aware, she couldn’t stand. She didn’t want to constantly be picking up after someone like that. She’d already played mother to Tiana. No need to repeat that, even if it did mean she got to hold another woman close.

“Anyway, I don’t mean to get all fired up about it, but my love life has simply been _horrible_ since the war started. Just because I can’t keep my place clean? What kind of reason is that? I know I’m a catch,” she said, and then she balled her hand into a fist in front of her face. “Excuse me,” and then followed by a loud hiccup. “Oh, goodness. Excuse me again!”

Judith hated that her mind went to Tiana and the way she’d used to hiccup when she was upset. Especially when she was sobbing, or when she was angry. When she was trying to be serious, she’d hiccup, and Judith wouldn’t even try to stop her sly smile. Tia would fold her arms, her face turning even redder with rage and embarrassment. Everyone had thought she was unflappable; Judith had been the only one who could really fluster that woman.

“Some water,” Judith called to the barmaid, who set a glass of water down in front of them. Manuela took a quick sip, clearing her throat.

“Thank you for being such a dear,” she said as she set the water down, the rim of the glass stained by her bright red lipstick. Judith thought about that lipstick against her lips, on her skin. “How about we finish our drinks, then let’s go for a little walk outside? I think I’d better clear my head a little.”

“Quitting after just one?” Judith propped her chin on her palm, offering another smirk.

“Of course not. I assumed you’d be getting another, too. What’s your favorite?”

She quirked her brow. “How about a little gin?”

“I like the way you think,” Manuela said with a grin.

—

They polished off the gin, and Manuela stumbled outside, somehow keeping upright on her high heels. Clearly, the whiskey hadn’t been Manuela’s first drink. Wherever she was staying, she was definitely keeping alcohol in her quarters. She’d mentioned being part of the war effort—was this woman a Knight of Seiros, or part of the Alliance or Empire’s armies? No way. She didn’t have the discipline for that.

“Gin, I haven’t had gin in ages,” Manuela said as she took heavy, awkward steps through the market. “Oh, thank you so much for that, dear, that was just so clever of you.”

Her voice was as loud as any drunk person’s, loud and clear, and it carried. Judith remained close to her, ready to support her should she stumble. She’d chosen to walk with her to help her clear her head, so she might as well pick her up if she did fall.

“Men always want to order beer. They’re such wimps, honestly!” Manuela shook her head. “They don’t know that I could drink them under the table. I’ve had dates pass out after one drink. A fat load of good that does me. I have to pick up the tab and he gets to go home with his buddies instead of with me. Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous!”

Pieces of Manuela’s hair were falling forward, and her lipstick had smeared when her head had slumped onto her shoulder on her way out of the doorway. This woman really was a mess. Tia had been a mess, but at least she’d been sober.

Manuela groaned. “I just don’t know what to do. Acting like myself doesn’t seem to be the right way to get a man. Flirting isn’t the right way to get a man. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!”

She threw up her hands, losing her balance slightly as she did. Judith reached her hand out, almost instinctively, to steady her.

“Oh, thank you, sweetheart.” Manuela sighed. “Oh, Lady Judith, you’ve been so nice to me. I wish anyone flirted like you did. You just get it. If there were a man like you, why, I’m sure we’d be wed in a heartbeat. He wouldn’t care anything about…”

Judith’s breath caught in her throat as Manuela continued to ramble, her stomach turning over with Manuela’s awkward, roundabout way of… hitting on her? Yet she was still complaining about men and dates. Was this broad interested in women—in her—or only in men?

“Hey,” Judith interrupted, folding her arms and stopping in her tracks.

“What’s the matter?” Manuela stopped, though not without a slight stumble. She turned to look at Judith, one hand on her hip, the sleeve of her dress slipping down her upper arm, dangerously close to exposing more than she should in public, even after dark.

“Pull up your damn sleeve, first of all.”

Manuela pulled the sleeve up and rearranged her chest. “Okay? Now what is it?”

“Are you…” Judith rubbed her left temple. “Interested in me?”

Manuela blinked owlishly, then, putting on her usual smirk, responded, “Oh, dearie, are you asking me if a man might find you interesting? Because who wouldn’t love these muscular arms of yours,” she reached out and squeezed Judith’s bicep, making her heart jump into her throat, “or that lovely long hair he could run his hands through?”

Wow. Talk about mixed signals. And not just warning signs. She had to take it at face value, since the woman was more than a little tipsy. She could barely stand.

“I’m certainly flattered by your sweet talk, hon, but why don’t I escort you back to your quarters?”

Manuela sighed dramatically. “I suppose it is another early day tomorrow. Well, then, go on and walk me back, like a gentleman.”

“Gentlewoman to you. Show me where you’re staying.”

“Of course, my dear knight,” Manuela crooned.

—

Judith’s hangover wasn’t debilitating the next morning. Besides, there would be a meeting, and early-morning meetings meant free breakfast. It was the first monastery-wide meeting since before she and Claude had arrived, and this time they’d invited the rest of the professors and the Knights of Seiros who hadn’t been at the first meeting. She arrived early and grabbed her meager breakfast, watching as everyone else filed in while Claude, Edelgard, and Hubert whispered among themselves. Judith turned her head and watched them. Claude’s arms were folded, and he frowned as he turned to look over the long table. He said something brief to Edelgard and Hubert, then walked over to Judith.

“What is it, boy?” She leaned back in her chair.

“We’re missing one person, and we’ve already given her five minutes to get here. It’s going to be a ten-minute walk to the faculty quarters and back, and we need to get started as soon as we can. We’ll probably have to get started without her so that—”

“And does this person have a name?” Judith interrupted.

“Do you know where Professor Manuela stays?”

Judith froze. _Professor_ Manuela? That drunken vixen was a _professor_?

“Judith? Hey, Judith? What’s the matter? You look kinda pale. You need some water or something?”

“I’m fine, boy, enough chatter.” _Professor_ Manuela! Heavens! “I’ll go fetch her.”

She got up from her seat, sparing a quick nod to Claude’s “thanks.” Before she left the room, she heard him ask, “Are there any extras of those pastries?”

The door to Manuela’s room was open just a crack when she got there. Judith put a hand on the doorknob and knocked.

“Hello?”

No response.

“There’s a war council you’re late for, so rise and shine.” When there was no response, she added, “If you don’t get up, I’m dragging you out of that bed.”

Still nothing.

“I’m coming in,” she called, pushing the door open barely a crack. She was reminded of doing the same for Claude. The threat of the invasion of privacy, with all of his secret little projects he always had going, had always made him spring upright, but she heard no stirring on the other side, even as she pushed open the door and saw Manuela passed out on her bed.

Half of the sheets were on the floor, with various stains of uncertain origin, and she lay with her arms sprawled around her, one arm across her forehead. Books and clothes were littered everywhere. Underwear was slung not only over her bedposts but on her dresser, and an open bottle of makeup had tipped over and spilled onto the desk. Not to mention the inkblots on the desk, seeping into torn, stained papers. And it reeked of alcohol and unwashed clothing. The guest room at her estate where Claude stayed looked like the picture of cleanliness compared to this woman’s quarters.

“Are you getting up?” Judith asked, still hanging in the doorway, less because she was afraid of breaching privacy and more because she was afraid of stepping in, or slipping on, something unidentified.

Still silent. She really was out cold.

“Wake up!” She furrowed her brow and snapped, “ _Manuela_!”

The bed creaked as she sat up, clutching the bedsheet to her chest, eyes lidded, lipstick smeared all over her face. “What? Huh? Who?”

“Did you forget we had a war council at eight a.m. today?”

She blinked, staring into space for a moment before she looked over to see who was standing in her doorway.

“Weren’t you at the bar last night?” She squinted. “Judith… the woman from Daphnel? No, the Hero of Daphnel?”

“You’re looking at her. And she’s got a meeting to get to, so no disrespect, but you’d better get moving.”

“All right, I get the message. Just let me change and I’ll be out in a minute.”

Judith closed the door behind her, folding her arms and leaning against the side of the doorframe. She had barely turned around when glass shattered inside the room, and Manuela said, “Oh, drat!”

Burying her head in her hand, Judith sighed. Was she really desperate enough to ask a woman like this to go out drinking again, much less someone who had turned out to be part of the war effort, just because she was attractive and had seemed to show interest in her?

“All right, sweetie, I’m ready to go,” Manuela crooned, opening her door and stumbling out on her high heels.

“Hope you can walk fast in those.”

“Don’t worry, I’m an expert.” She winked. Back to that flirtatious veneer she’d had on last night.

“So, you’re a professor, huh?” Judith asked, setting a quick pace as they walked.

“I am a professor, dearie. But I’m also a trained doctor.”

Judith shook her head. “You’re kidding.” She couldn’t even keep her own room clean, much less take care of her health, and she was a _doctor_?

“Do I look like I would joke about that?” Manuela snapped. “I staff the infirmary here. It’s a very serious job, Lady Judith.”

“Just pulling your leg,” Judith said quickly. “I believe you.”

“Well, I don’t know why you wouldn’t.”

Judith could think of a few reasons why she wouldn’t.

“So I guess the gin was a little too strong for you,” she said instead.

Manuela frowned. “Well, I don’t _think_ it was the gin. If there was gin. I came back to my room, poured myself a glass of wine. Next thing I remember was you yelling at me to get up.”

Judith shook her head. “You had _another_ drink?”

“Just a little nightcap. I’ve got to have at least one glass of red every day.”

Judith went to say something, but just gasped in exasperation.

“What?”

“A drink now and then is good to loosen up, but you’re going go overboard sooner or later, lady.”

“What in the world are you on about?”

“That you’re going to drink yourself into the ground if you keep it up.”

Manuela huffed. “I think _I_ know what’s best for myself,” she shot back, but her eyes seemed to glisten, as if it wasn’t the first time she’d heard that from someone. How many times had her dates, or her colleagues, told her off? Whatever the case, Judith wasn’t going to have another word on it, because Manuela broke away from her and started walking faster than she’d ever seen anyone in heels walk before.

Judith sighed again. Was it really her job to clean up after everyone’s messes? It was like she was drawn to them. Tiana and her nervous breakdowns and family issues, Claude and his mishaps with chemicals and books all over the floor and bed and his stress over politics and war, and now Manuela with her drinking problem and filthy room. Though she’d never had children, she had coddled Tiana and Claude like a mother figure would. Well, she wasn’t about to coddle or comfort this woman, despite that a person with so many problems awakened her nurturing side like nothing else. No, she’d be stern with her, like a stone. Coddling wouldn’t work with someone that far gone.

—

Judith didn’t talk to Manuela again after that, only sneaking occasional glances or waving if she saw her around the monastery. Having been relieved of her paperwork duty, she spent the next two weeks training soldiers and some of the former students. It was a pleasure to get some sets in with Claude when he could spare the time—the boy was almost her equal in terms of swordsmanship now—but mostly, she was working with the kids from the Empire, particularly the archers, Bernadetta and Petra, the latter of whom also wielded a sword, and whose footwork was shockingly quick, even outpacing Judith herself.

Across the training grounds one afternoon, Manuela stood with Marianne and Dorothea with a sword in hand. Having taken a break from combating Leonie, Judith was free to watch Manuela demonstrating some fancy technique of infusing her sword with a sparkling white burst of magic. Dorothea cast a thunder spell on her jagged sword, then faced Manuela, and lunged toward her, sparks flying from the two swords as they met. Marianne watched, clutching a broadsword in her trembling hands, and stepped in Dorothea’s place to give her ice-infused blade a try against Manuela’s holy blade.

Despite Marianne’s obvious nervousness, Manuela didn’t go easy on her. In fact, she scolded her, a little bit bluntly, to put more force behind her strength. Manuela’s strikes were deft and fluid, if a little too powerful for Marianne, who clearly was unconfident in her ability to counter any sword blow. But after her encouragement, Marianne put her whole body behind the strike, and Manuela and Dorothea cheered for her.

“Look at Marianne go!” Leonie said from behind Judith.

“She has become greatly skilled with a sword!” Petra said.

So far, Manuela’s teaching style was something Judith could get behind. Not to mention the creative way she’d used magic, especially as a Crestless individual. Judith had never really gotten the hang of magic, but then again, it hadn’t been Tiana’s forte either, even with her Minor Crest of Riegan. She and Manuela really _could_ make a good team. She didn’t wield a different weapon like Tiana had wielded a bow and lance, but what did it matter if they both wielded swords? Manuela outclassed her in her mastery of magic, and Judith was flexible enough anyway that she could easily switch to an axe or lance if the situation required it.

On the battlefield, Manuela was even more composed and ready. She was always on standby, along with Linhardt and Marianne, for any minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises. She was handy with the horse she rode, the sword she wielded, and the light from the Goddess that she harnessed in the form of magic. In the foggy daylight of war, she was a different woman entirely, and Judith understood fully the position she had earned as a professor at Garreg Mach, and recognized that she was more than worthy of the honor of fighting alongside the Empire and Alliance’s combined armies.

The recent battle had left them all a little shaken, but Manuela remained composed, despite the serious injuries Dorothea and Leonie had sustained that sent them to the infirmary. Judith dropped in to check on the girls during lunch while Manuela was out on the training grounds.

Leonie waved her hand, looking up from her tray. “Hey, Lady Judith.”

Dorothea nodded. “Hello, Lady Judith.”

Dorothea’s sprained arm hung in a sling across her chest; she spooned soup into her mouth with her other arm. Leonie, her leg bandaged where a lance had pierced it, had forgone silverware and ate her bread with her bare hands.

“How are you girls feeling?”

“I’m fine.” Dorothea sighed. “I just think it’s time Manuela took a break. She’s been rushing around since we got back from the last battle, and I’m worried she’ll overwork herself.”

“I can understand that,” Leonie said, a bit bashful. “I tend toward that overworking problem. I’m all right, by the way.”

“She’s definitely a hard worker,” Judith admitted. What Dorothea said was true. Judith had dragged herself to the tavern a few days after the fight, and on another night, yet she hadn’t seen Manuela there. Either that meant she was sticking to her room, or she didn’t have any time for dating or drinking, period.

Dorothea frowned, looking over at Leonie. “Well, people like us don’t have much of a choice.”

Leonie nodded. “Yep. We’ve just gotta pull through and make it on our own, without any connections or money.”

Judith felt like she was intruding on the two of them. She’d be remiss not to notice that there was a special connection between Dorothea and Manuela, too, not unlike her bond with Claude. Maybe Manuela really _could_ stand on her own. It was just that to someone who didn’t know her that well, she really didn’t look that way.

Then it hit her. _Without any connections or money_.

Was it all about money for her? Was that why she continued to try and chase men down? Judith could understand that. After all, money was the reason her parents had pressured her to marry. That and the whole Crest deal. Money was certainly attractive, since wealth meant power and most of all, stability. But Manuela had never mentioned money. Maybe it was really about love for her, about finding a partner.

Did Manuela need someone to support her, to love her? And would it change her if she did have a partner, or would she have to want to change on her own? And what about Judith herself—did she need a partner? Or did she just want to take care of someone, like she always had, now that Claude was getting older, just like Dorothea, and might not need her support any longer?

—

After Judith left the infirmary, she kept thinking about Manuela and how she hadn’t slowed down even one bit in the past few days. She’d tried to catch her when they were on the training grounds, but they each had their own students to attend to. Then she’d try after faculty meetings, but someone always seemed to barge in her way. That was beginning to get old. She swore she wasn’t desperate. All she wanted was to talk to Manuela again, maybe apologize for passing a wrong judgment about her. Maybe she needed to spend some time with the Goddess and think about her next move.

As she crossed the bridge and approached the cathedral, she was stunned by a high, clear voice echoing off of the vaulted ceilings. The woman’s voice was loud and powerful, its clarity accentuated by the tremor of a delicate, wavering vibrato.

It was answered by the harmonizing of two lower voices, one with a little more breath control and one that was shakier. As the song ended, the voices faded, and Judith stopped on the threshold, peeking in the cathedral doorway.

“Is that an improvement, Professor?” She heard Ferdinand’s voice, bright and eager, before she saw his bright orange curls tied back at the nape of his neck.

“I think I sounded a little less shaky that time.” Ignatz, wringing his hands with a nervous smile. And standing between them, Manuela.

That pure, beautiful, Goddess-blessed voice was _Manuela’s_?

“Both of you boys are sounding much better. Ignatz, just put a little more force behind your voice. Remember to breathe from your diaphragm, right here.” She knocked on her corset, a hollow sound.

“I’ll make sure to do that. Thank you, Professor.”

“And Ferdinand, you still tend to come in a little early. Make sure you’re counting all of your rests, all right?”

“Yes, Professor!”

“And with that, I think we’re done for today. Make sure to practice your Faith magic, too.”

The two nodded, making their way out of the church and walking past Judith, both with a hurried greeting as if they had planned to spend time together afterward. She smiled and walked in the cathedral. Manuela was still watching them go as Judith approached and said, “Makes me happy to see the kids from the Empire are getting along so well with the kids from the Alliance.”

“It brings me joy, too, Lady Judith.” Manuela turned her gaze toward Judith. “What brings you to the cathedral? Are you a religious woman?”

Judith nodded. “I am.”

“Then Claude and Edelgard’s goals must seem very strange to you.”

It was the first she’d heard anyone other than the students reference their aims outside of a council. Edelgard’s goals of dismantling both the Crest system and the Church, and Claude’s goals of opening the borders to other countries, ending both Fódlan’s system of nobility and its isolationist tendencies.

“I really don’t mind if Crests go away permanently,” she said. “In fact, I’d welcome all of Claude and Edelgard’s changes.”

“Is that so? I wouldn’t expect that from a woman like you.”

Judith frowned and folded her arms. “Tell me, Manuela. What do you think I’m like?”

“To be honest, dearie, you really seem a little uptight. You tend to be harsh on your students. And you seem quite disappointed in… let’s call it my ‘way of life.’ You seem very old-fashioned to me, if I may say so.”

“Old-fashioned?” She scoffed. “That hurts, hon. My parents were the old-fashioned ones. ‘Get married to a man and make tons of babies for your family. Maybe one’ll have a Crest.’ They didn’t even give a shit when I was hailed as a hero throughout the Alliance. They wouldn’t have been satisfied unless I got married and had a kid that had a Crest.”

“But I thought there was a Crest of Daphnel?”

“I don’t have it. There was a split in our family after an inheritance feud, so our bloodline runs thin.”

“I see.” Manuela frowned. “So Crests have been nothing but trouble for you.”

“It’s why I can sympathize with Edelgard. The idea of abolishing Crests and nobility was just too tantalizing to turn down. Claude also realized that the Church and the Crest system were keeping Fodlan isolated from the rest of the world, so he was easily convinced to join Edelgard’s cause.”

Manuela was silent in thought for a moment. Then she said, “Well, Lady Judith, I can see I’ve sorely misjudged you. I apologize for that.”

“Apology accepted. And actually, I wanted to apologize, too. I thought you were a mess, so I was rude to you, and judgmental of your lifestyle. But… you’re a force of nature, if I’m allowed to say that. You’re an excellent instructor and a skilled nurse. You love the kids, not just the kids themselves but working with them, and you’re dedicated to the cause. And I could hardly believe my ears when I heard your angelic voice just now.”

Manuela’s cheeks flushed, first pink, then a bright red. “Oh, you are an absolute sweetheart, dear Lady! Hearing such compliments from you makes my heart flutter in my chest.”

Judith’s own heart was fluttering in her chest. She hadn’t forgotten the reason she came here in the first place.

“I feel like I should say something in return, but I’m not sure what to say. Maybe it’s because you take my breath away.” Manuela winked.

Judith chuckled. _Damn this woman and her mixed signals_!

“Your voice certainly left me speechless, hon. The Goddess gave you a gift. I’m glad you’re using it.”

“Indeed. Did you know I used to perform with the Mittelfrank Opera Company? It wasn’t enough just to have my voice, though. There was a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get the position of the company’s top diva.”

“I can tell you know the value of hard work.”

“It’s not enough just to have a Goddess-given gift. You’ve got to work hard to bring that gift to fruition. It’s why I have no qualms about supporting Edelgard. She and Hubert, and the rest of the kids from the Empire and Alliance, know the value of hard work.

“You had to work hard, too, didn’t you, Lady Judith? Not having a Crest must have been hard for you as a noble.”

“Very perceptive of you. I did. But because I chose to support Claude and House Riegan well before he came to the Officers’ Academy, my house has fallen in the ranks lately.”

“But status doesn’t matter to you. I can tell it doesn’t. You’d rather stay with Claude than side with the people who are against him.”

“Right. Claude’s my protege. And he’s the son of a woman who was everything to me once upon a time. So I’m not about to let him go it alone.”

“How tragically beautiful,” Manuela crooned. “Did you make a promise to Claude’s mother? That you would look after her child?”

“Promise—?” The word caught in Judith’s throat. No, she’d never made a promise of any sort to Tia, and she’d never really _planned_ that her son would show up years later. She’d just kind of gone with it, with everything, and it had drawn her here, down Claude’s—and Edelgard’s—path. “No, it’s not just because of her. I still have my doubts about getting rid of the church altogether, or, for that matter, the Goddess.”

“I understand that. I suppose we all have our doubts. Especially my dear Dorothea. She just wants all the fighting to stop.” She sighed, raising her head to look Judith in the eye. “Lady Judith, would you take a moment to pray with me?”

The softness and worry in Manuela’s brown eyes made Judith’s heart clench. “Of course. It’s what I came here to do.”

—

Judith tossed and turned in bed that night. It wasn’t as if being sleepless was rare for her—the war, for one, had kept her up night after night—but she felt particularly consumed by everything. Had she said too much to Manuela about her house’s situation? And why had she said that Tiana had been “everything” to her? Tia really had been everything to her before the fateful day of her disappearance. But now Manuela knew about the hole Tiana had left with her departure, would know that Judith was looking for a distraction to fill that void.

At times like these, she started thinking the stupidest shit imaginable. _Maybe it would have been better if I had gotten married and had my own kids. It would be so much easier. It would have been more sensible, and I could have made my parents happy._ Not that she really cared about that when they had never known what—who—truly made her happy.

And then she kept thinking about Manuela’s assessment of her. That she was a hard worker. That she came off as “old-fashioned,” whatever that meant. Maybe she really did need to let loose. She couldn’t help it if she was protective of the students. Her nurturing side just kicked into high gear whenever anyone was in danger, or might be in danger, though she was less like a mother hen and more like a bear or a cougar or something. If anyone was a mother hen, it was Manuela. She was nurturing, but sweet. Judith didn’t really consider herself “sweet,” more chivalric, but not in the condescending way that men enacted chivalry. She focused more on the selflessness rather than the praise, though the rush she got from defending others had driven her to become a knight.

And she kept thinking about Manuela. About those brown eyes, the full lips, the curve of her hips, and the clear voice that had stunned her into silence. About her selflessness, how she gave her all for the kids and the cause, how she supported Edelgard and Claude even if she still believed in the Goddess. The movement of her lips during their prayer, and the way she’d looked in the red dress the first night Judith had seen her at the bar. Even now that she’d seen so much more of Manuela, that she had a full picture of her and that she was no longer just that attractive woman in the red dress, Judith’s heart still thumped in her throat and between her legs when she thought about kissing Manuela, hot whiskey breath in her mouth, holding their bodies close with one hand on her hip. And she’d be warm, and soft, and maybe she’d sigh into her mouth with that smooth voice of hers—

“Damn,” she whispered into the pillow, teeth clenched, grasping it with one hand. “Damn, damn!” She messed her hair up with her other hand. This was no good. The last time she hadn’t been able to get a woman out of her head—well, it hadn’t been that long ago, there had been a blacksmith with a short haircut at the market a few weeks back who had winked at her—but that hadn’t been anywhere near to pushing her over the edge like this. The best she could do now was go to the tavern and try and drink it away.

Judith had barely started her first beer when a wolf-whistle instinctively made her clench her fist and turn her head. If he so much as lay a hand on whatever woman was entering the bar, she’d mash his ugly mug into the table.

Turned out it was just Catherine, wolf-whistling as Manuela entered the bar in a blue dress. Red had been stunning, but that royal blue color was truly breathtaking. Even though it was the enemy’s color, nobody even thought to call her out on it. She looked too damn good.

“Good evening,” Manuela said, sitting down next to Judith with a wink.

“Am I relieved to see you here,” Judith said, giving her a brief pat on the shoulder.

“Same to you, dearie. Yes, could a I get a glass of rosé?” she said to the bartender.

“I thought you went for red,” Judith said.

“It’s nice to change things up every once in a while. Just like my outfit.” She adjusted the straps. “And I see you’ve got a vest on. I must say, that complements the ruffles of your shirt very nicely.”

“Thanks, hon. You’re looking like a dream yourself.”

“Like a dream, goodness me! That is definitely a new one.” She accepted her glass of wine from the bartender and took a sip.

“Or I might compare you to the night sky, but I think you outshine the stars.”

“A classic compliment is always nice, too.” Manuela giggled. “Speaking of the great outdoors, I didn’t really come here for a drink.”

“You didn’t?”

“It’s more my… secondary purpose. But how about we finish up our drinks and then we can get away from all this rabble?”

“You don’t want to order another one?”

“Please, do you think I’m completely incapable of moderation? Listen, Judith. I may be a mess, but I can handle myself all right.”

Judith turned her lips inward, biting them. She knew exactly what Manuela really meant. _I don’t need your help. I don’t need you._

_I’m independent._

She took a measured sip of her whiskey. The chatter continued in the background behind them. She didn’t recall that whiskey could make her feel this dizzy. Why had Manuela come here? Only to tell her off? To tell her to stay away? Or, god forbid, to get her help in wrangling some man she liked? The initial message was clear enough. _Keep your distance._ In the corner of her eye, Judith watched Manuela sip her rosé. No other woman could be more elegant than her when she was at her most composed.

“You’re awfully quiet, dearie. Is something on your mind?”

Judith coughed. “Yeah. Actually, it’s you.”

Manuela’s lips curled up, as if she was preparing to deliver a typical flirtatious statement, but then she paused, her lips turning down in a frown.

“Should we take this outside right now, then?”

“We should.”

Manuela polished her glass off quickly, as did Judith, and they were soon back outside. A new moon meant a dark sky, stars clearly visible against the inky sheet above. Judith’s palms were sweating, her pulse thrumming. Her eyes kept drifting to the curve of Manuela’s lips, to the exposed skin of her shoulders and chest. Manuela was walking expertly on her heels as if she hadn’t had any drink at all, with perfect posture and an apparent awareness of every movement. She seemed oddly composed tonight, and it thrilled Judith.

“All right,” said Manuela once they’d arrived at a bench and sat. “I want to know more about that old friend of yours.”

“What old friend?”

“Lady Riegan. What happened between the two of you?”

Judith narrowed her eyes. “It was almost twenty-five years ago. It’s not really important.”

“It seems awfully important for you to have called her your ‘everything.’ What did she mean to you?”

“I haven’t spoken to her since then. Why are you so curious about it?”

“No reason. It’s just that, well, if you’re looking for another partner, isn’t she going to get in the way?”

“What are you trying to imply? I’m not looking for a husband. And why are you prying so much? Even when Claude does it that gets on my nerves.”

“So you aren’t looking for a partner?”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t looking for a partner.” Judith shook her head. “What are you—” She paused, turning to Manuela, whose face was still twisted in frustration. “Hold on. Are you _jealous_?”

Manuela opened her mouth to protest, but then she sighed instead. “So you’ve figured me out, before I even had a chance to try and make my move.”

Warmth filled Judith’s chest. “Goodness, hon…” She felt herself melting inside, even as she was the one to extend her hand to rest on top of Manuela’s. “I never expected this.”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about what you said when we first met. When you asked me if I was interested, I began to wonder some things. Could I really be happy with a woman? I’d never dated one before, much less even thought about one like I’ve thought about you, but… it seems you’ve been occupying my mind quite a lot lately, dearest Judith. And I figured I should probably do something about that.”

“Well, Manuela darling, I think we could make a pretty good match. I can think of quite a few reasons why, but my number one reason is that I’d really like to kiss the living hell out of you right now.”

Manuela giggled, high and thrilled, cheeks lighting up. “Ooh, Lady Judith, you vixen! I love how bold you are. Lay it on me, sweetheart!”

Judith scooched forward on the bench and placed her hand around Manuela’s waist, pulling her close as she neared her lips. They were soft underneath that waxy layer of lipstick, her breath warm and fragrant with the fruitiness of rosé. When Judith deepened the kiss, her tongue dipping into Manuela’s mouth, she felt Manuela’s fingers grasp her ponytail, running her fingers through her hair, landing on her shoulder, her other hand against the bottom of her neck, holding her like an island to which she clung.

They broke apart and Manuela wheezed, swooning. “Oh my!” She reached in the front of her dress and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping her face. “Can we do that all the time?”

“I’d really love to do it again right now,” Judith said with a wink.

“Maybe we should find somewhere more private,” Manuela added. “If that’s okay with you?”

Judith looked at the way Manuela’s searching gaze met hers, how her excitement sparkled in her eyes. She understood now that Manuela’s admission that she could handle herself hadn’t been about not wanting a partner. It was simply to say that Judith didn’t need to worry about her. About cleaning her up. Judith would take care of her own baggage, just like Manuela would take care of hers. She was strong like Judith, independent like Judith. And she was a mess, not like Tia, but like only she could be.

And that was okay.

“I’d love to,” Judith said, and she stood up from the bench, reaching her hand out for Manuela to grab, and they walked into the star-filled night.


End file.
